Top cylinder oiler for internal-combustion engines



Patented Dec. 28,. 1948 TOP CYLINDER OILER FOR INTERNAL. COMBUSTION ENGINES William A. Maclay, Windsor, Ontario, Canada Application August 30,1945, Serial No. 613,574 3 Claims. (Cl. 123-496) This invention relates to lubricating means for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a. means for lubricating the top of the cylinders of the engine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple type of lubricating means for the top of the cylinders of an engine whereby readily to lubricate the intake and exhaust valves thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide lubricating means of the character specified which will tend to eliminate the formation of carbon in the cylinders.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lubricating means of this character which will add moisture to the cylinders and provide for a smoother operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which will tend to increase the mileage obtained per gallon of fuel.

With these and other objects in view, the invention generally comprises a lubricating chamber designed to carry a body of lubricant, an. air port and means connecting between the cylinders of said engine, preferably with the intake manifold, for inducing an atomized mixture of air and lubricant to said cylinders. Preferably the device includes means for controlling the fiow of lubricant to the cylinders, i. e. as a vapor or as a liquid, and a means of agitating the lubricant for producing a finely atomized mixture. The invention will be fully understood by reference to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile engine and part of the chassis showing the device of the present invention mounted and connected with the intake manifold of the engine; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the lubricating device to show a preferred type of device, and the relation and construction of its parts.

Referrin to the drawings, A indicates an internal combustion engine which may be a vehicle engine or a stationary engine, and B indicates a lubricating device according to the present invention designed to lubricate the top of the cylinders of the engine. This generally comprises a lubricant chamber or receptacle l designed to receive a body of suitable lubricant. As shown in Fig. 2, this may be comprised by a glass Well i I associated with a base plate 12 and cap plate l3 .with intervening gaskets M and I5. According to the preferred construction the cap plate has connected thereto a sleeve-like element I6 forming an atomizlng chamber which may be integrally attached to the cap plate l3 or detachably connected therewith. The sleeve-like element It is designed to project through the cap plate I3 and into the chamber In in the form of a depending skirt ll. The sleeve-like element It has mounted on its top a head l8 which as shown may be comprised of the ring it connected to the top of element i6 in any suitable way and the cap 20 ftoiigected to the ring is with an interposed gas- Extending throughout the length of the device is an air feed tube 22, This may be connected to the base plate as shown by means of the screw threaded connection indicated generally by the numeral 23, while the top of the tube 22 abuts the cap plate 20 and preferably receives, in screw threaded engagement, a sleeve 24 of smaller diameter which passes through an orifice in the top of the cap 20 and connects with the intake nipple 25 which is suitably perforated as at 26. The cap 20 is held in position by means of a suitable nut 21 screw threaded on the sleeve 24.

The upper extremity of the tube 22 is prefer- .ably screw threaded as indicated at 22a and suitable filtering means such as the annular felt element 28 flanked by the screens 29 is positioned within the sleeve-like element l6 and fastened by suitable nuts 30. A further filter disc or the like 3| is positioned at the top of the sleeve 24 within the nipple 25.

A conduit 32 communicates with the sleevelike element It through the ring l9 and extends preferably to the intake manifold of the engine indicated at 33, Fig. 1. It may, however, connect directly with a cylinder or cylinders of an engine. Thus, upon operation of the engine and consequent suction induced by the manifold, the atomizing chamber formed by the sleeve-like element l6 and receptacle I ll are placed under partial vacuum resulting in the intake of atmospheric air through the ports of the nipple 25, down through the tube 22 and out through the submerged air discharge ports 34 formed in tube 22 adjacent its base. It then passes up through the body of liquid to the sleeve-like element It and finally to the conduit 32 taking with it the lubricating oil. The amount of this mixture of air and oil which passes through the conduit 32 to the cylinders may be controlled by adjustment of the valve 35.

In order to ensure a finely atomized mixture, the device may include a rotatable bladed elea 3 ment indicated in Fig. 2 by the numeral 36., This may take any suitable form and as illustrated, includes the rotatable bearing bushing 31 mounted between the ball bearing races 38 and 39. Thus, the induced flow of mixed oil and air passing through the atomizing chamber IE will tend to cause the rotation of the bladed element 36, and the blades whirling in this chamber will tend further to break up the mixture being fed to the engine through the conduit 32.

As a result, a top lubricant is supplied through the tops of the cylinders of the engine, lubricating the intake and exhaust valves and eliminat-" ing the formation of carbon within the engine.

This provides for more efflcient operation and the added moisture and air have the result of reducing the consumption of fuel, and, therefore, increasing the mileage per gallon obtained in the.

case of a vehicle.

While a specific and preferred form of arrange ment is shown particularly in Fig. 2, it will be appreciated that variations might be made in thistial vacuum in said chamber during operation of the engine to cause intake of air to and through the receptacle and a flow of air and lubricant to said cylinder, a filter extending across said chamber above the lower open end of the latter to illter the air and lubricant flowing to said cylinder, an air filter disposed in said air feeding conduit, and a rotatable means in the atomizing chamber iii); breaking up the inflowing mixture of air and o 2. Lubricating means for internal combustion engines as described in claim 1, in which the rotatable means comprises a bladed element rotatably mounted in the atomizing chamber, said element being rotatable under the influence of the air and oil flowing through said chamber.

' 3. Lubricating means as described in claim 1, in which the open end of said atomizing chamber projects into the lubricating receptacle in the form of a depending skirt.

WILLIAM A. MACLAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,654 Joerger June 14, 1927 2,119,927 Reid June 7, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 292,851 Great Britain June 28, 1928 

